My Most Precious Human

Carla had outstanding cooking skills and an amazing imagination when it came to mixing flavors. She couldn't afford to rent a place for a restaurant, so she chose to start a catering company instead. She had rented premises in the building right next to our apartments and created a professional kitchen there. She intended to provide her cuisine at the most expansive events in the city. That could allow her to earn the money she needed to open her dream restaurant in New Argent City… in a few years. I supported that dream of hers with all my heart.

Spending time with Carla was refreshing. She was always on the run. She constantly developed new dishes while I had become her lab mouse that had to taste whatever she came up with. She was a perfect distraction from my monotonic work, and a natural excuse to take a break. With her, I could pretend that I was living a normal life. Sometimes I even convinced myself that I could stay in New Argent City forever…

I had just finished another assignment for one of my VIP clients. It wasn't a tough one, but it required focusing on different variables to create a logical pattern. All those numbers gave me a headache. Carla must have read my mind since she messaged me, telling me that she would come by to celebrate. I smiled reading her text. I was glad that she got a little bit closer to her dream again.

Two hours later, she was standing on my threshold, holding three bottles of wine and grinning like a lunatic. I burst out laughing, looking at her agitated expression.

"Come in and give me those bottles. Your hands are shaking so much that I'm afraid you might drop them…" I smirked and invited her in.

"You will not believe what happened!" she called excitedly while handing me the bottles.

"Hold on," I cut her off, "Go inside, sit on the sofa, and wait until we both have glasses in our hands. Then I will let you talk," I stated, pushing her inside.

She sat down and waited for me to come while nervously stamping her feet on the floor. I opened the bottle, poured the wine, and handed her a glass.

"Here you go. Now you can talk," I said, barely holding my laughter.

"So, two days ago, someone sent me an email. A guy wrote that he tasted my cuisine during the Trade Center Anniversary, and he asked if I could arrange food for the special event he was organizing. From the email address, I checked the company, and it turned out to be the Diamond Crown Casino! These guys are loaded with cash!" Carla started feverishly.

"Yes... those guys might have a lot of money," I joked, "have you met this guy?"

clients. Although their list of demands is quite… unique, the price they propose is… Well, I bet that I wouldn't get more even if I decided to sell half of my organs on the black

I called, rejoiced, "I have no idea how much your kidneys or liver would be worth, but I bet that it's

giggled and emptied her glass in big

of the wine from the first bottle and opened

those demands

20 waitresses, only women that are pretty…"

chauvinistic," I

assured me that it's only because they wanted to make it a themed event with costumes

nothing wrong with specifying what the waitresses should look like, but at the same time, I had a weird feeling about it. Nonetheless, these were only my concerns, and I had no proof to say that she should reject the offer. The sum of money they were offering seemed suspicious, but considering how extravagant VIP parties in New Argent City might have been like, it wasn't anything

is the party theme?" I

the costumes and they are gorgeous… sexy, but not indecent. They all look like they were brought out of a play by a high-class theatre,"

won't look like hookers," I muttered

"What?"

grinning as I

three bottles Carla brought. She fell asleep on my sofa. Fortunately, I wasn't completely wasted, so I covered her

a week later. Carla was in her professional kitchen, preparing all sorts of appetizers that the guy from the casino had ordered. That day was my day off of work, but instead of relaxing or shopping, I spent most of the day having more and more anxieties concerning Carla's assignment. An unexplainable

after 2

need your help desperately!" she cried over the

I asked,

to… Since all the food will be prepared in advance, I can replace